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Summary
Summary
The lifeblood of the Wiltshire village of Ivy Hill is its coaching inn, The Bell. But when the innkeeper dies suddenly, his genteel wife, Jane Bell, becomes the reluctant owner. Jane has no notion of how to run a business. However, with the town's livelihood at stake and a large loan due, she must find a way to bring new life to the inn. Despite their strained relationship, Jane turns to her resentful mother-in-law, Thora, for help. Formerly mistress of The Bell, Thora is struggling to find her place in the world. As she and Jane work together, they form a measure of trust, and Thora's wounded heart begins to heal. When she encounters two men from her past, she sees them--and her future--in a different light. With pressure mounting from the bank, Jane employs innovative methods to turn the inn around, and puzzles over the intentions of several men who seem to have a vested interest in the place. Will her efforts be enough to save The Bell? And will Thora embrace the possibility of a second chance at love?
Author Notes
Julie Klassen is a bestselling, award winning author. She graduated from the University of Illinois and worked in publishing for sixteen years in advertising and as a fiction editor.
Klassen's books, The Girl in the Gatehouse and The Silent Governess won the Christy Award for Historical Romance. The Girl in the Gatehouse also won a Midwest Book Award and The Silent Governess was a finalist in Romance Writers of America's RITA awards. Julie is also the author of Lady of Milkweed Manor, which was a finalist for the Christy award, The Apothecary's Daughter, and The Maid of Fairbourne Hall.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (3)
Publisher's Weekly Review
The financial future of the English village of Ivy Hill rests largely upon the success of The Bell, the coaching inn formerly run by innkeeper John Bell, but now by his widow, the reluctant and inexperienced Jane. When she discovers a large loan is imminently due, Jane turns to her resentful mother-in-law, Thora, the former mistress of The Bell who knows the business. Together they must face and overcome old hurts while assessing new methods to turn the business around. The appearance of several men, old friends and new, showing interest in both the inn and the women add mystery and emotional depth to the Jane and Thora's struggle to save their heritage. Readers are left to wonder which of Thora's suitors can convince her to chance love again, and if Jane can embrace or deny her new role as innkeeper. With her signature insight into the human heart, Klassen (The Painter's Daughter) draws readers into the deceptively quiet English countryside of Austen's day, a world of complicated yet joyful, messy yet faithful, lives of regular people who choose to truly live despite their difficult circumstances. Readers will rejoice that this is only the beginning of her new Tales from Ivy Hill series. Agent: Wendy Lawton, Books & Such (Dec.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
Ever since her husband, John, was killed nearly a year ago, Jane Bell has felt like she's been sleepwalking through life. Business at the Bell Inn, the coaching house her husband left Jane in his will, has been slowly dwindling, and until now Jane has really had no interest in taking an active role in the inn's management. However, when the village's banker shows up to meet with Jane and inform her that her late husband took out a sizable loan before his death and that the loan is now coming due, Jane realizes that it is time for her to wake up. Three-time Christy Award winner Klassen launches a heartwarming new series set in the Regency era that delivers everything fans of gentle historical-romance novels could ever want, including a beautifully realized English village setting, a memorable cast of characters, and charming hints of love for more than one of the residents of Ivy Hill.--Charles, John Copyright 2016 Booklist
Library Journal Review
Jane Bell, a recent widow who is newly responsible for running the family inn, thinks things can't get worse when her prickly mother-in-law, Thora, returns to Ivy Hill to visit. Then Jane learns that her husband mortgaged the inn and left insurmountable debt. Even as Jane and her friends and relatives try to save the inn, its future is iffy. Meanwhile, Thora encounters two men from her past and begins to consider a different future for herself. This Regency-era historical romance, focused on village life and working-class folk instead of the gentry, is filled with engaging characters, a steadily moving plot, the right amount of tension, and fine sense of place. Elizabeth Jaznicki's slow delivery may annoy some listeners. VERDICT No sex, no bad language, and an interesting backstory set up a series that is certain to be popular with listeners looking for gentle content.-Janet Martin, Southern Pines P.L., NC © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
